Pleasant Valley students raise funds to fight childhood cancer

On Saturday, Pleasant Valley High School hosted mini-THON, an overnight fundraiser to benefit children with cancer.

Four Diamonds, an organization that partners with high schools across the country, helped propel the student-led overnight dance marathon, which is loosely modeled after Penn State’s THON.

The event was a no-sitting, no-sleeping dance marathon held in the gymnasium of Pleasant Valley High School, with students staying overnight from 7 p.m. to 8 a.m.

A student disc jockey with a full setup was present in the gymnasium, while other events included video games, dancing and water pong.

Registered students were able to raise donations online and in person throughout the year before Saturday’s event. All of the funds are given to the Four Diamonds Fund to support its national effort to combat child cancer.

“The Four Diamonds organization is dedicated to not only research childhood cancer, but also aid the expenses of any children with cancer that get treatment at Hershey Medical Center,” said Daisy Genovese, Pleasant Valley High School teacher and mini-THON adviser.

“Four Diamonds is the largest student-led-philanthropic organization in the world. All Monroe County high schools participate, and it’s growing substantially across the country.”

While the mission of this fundraiser is enough for students to get motivated to help kids in need, it’s become much more personal for many Pleasant Valley students, as they have felt the direct impact of losing classmates to cancer.

Schyler Herman, who would be a high school junior this year, passed away after her fight with leukemia on Oct. 31, 2018. Herman was Pleasant Valley’s star varsity goalkeeper for the girls’ soccer team; her presence both on and off the field was noted as being profound through her positivity and work ethic.

“Our school especially has been touched by childhood cancer, and just by getting people involved and letting people know there are ways they can help out and help people in our community is huge,” Pleasant Valley senior Cameron Caffery said.

This foundation is meant to combat the unexpected and high costs of medical bills incurred by children with cancer. Given the lack of pediatric cancer treatment centers within this region, travel alone is a steep cost for those affected.

“If you get cancer as a child in this area you’re either going to CHOP in Philadelphia or Four Diamonds in Hershey. We don’t have pediatric cancer facilities in Monroe County. So they need support and attention,” Pleasant Valley senior Taylor Boland said.

“For the families to not have to worry about paying expenses while they’re sick, transportation, everything. They won’t see a bill,” Caffery said.

This year the student body set a fundraising goal of $12,000, which they surpassed with $13,538.63 in total donations.

“You can wrap it all up into the meaning of kids fighting for kids,” freshman Kassidy Shupp said.